Am I thinking of $\epsilon - \delta$ as $x \to \infty$ correctly?

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This may be more involved than necessary, but I'm using this as an exercise to make sure I'm thinking of this correctly. Say we have:

$$f(x) = \frac{2x^2 - x + 1}{x^2 +4}$$

And we want to show that the limit as $x \to \infty$ is $2$. I'll need to show that $\forall \epsilon > 0 ~~ \exists ~\delta : x > \delta \implies |f(x) - 2| \leq \epsilon . $

Does it suffice to say:

\begin{align} \left |\frac{2x^2 - x + 1}{x^2 + 4} - 2 \right | &\leq \epsilon &\implies \\ \\ \frac{2x^2 - x + 1}{x^2 + 4} - 2 &\leq \epsilon &\implies \\ \\ \frac{-2x^2 + x - 1}{x^2 + 4} &\geq \epsilon + 2 &\implies \\ \\ -2x^2 + x - 1 & \geq \epsilon + 2 &\implies \\ \\ -2x^2 + x &\geq \epsilon + 3 &\implies \\ x &\geq \epsilon + 3 \end{align}

and

\begin{align} \left |\frac{2x^2 - x + 1}{x^2 + 4} - 2 \right | &\leq \epsilon &\implies \\\\ 2 - \frac{2x^2 - x + 1}{x^2 + 4} &\leq \epsilon &\implies \\ \\ \frac{2x^2-x+1}{x^2 + 4} &\geq \epsilon + 2 &\implies \\ \\ 2x^2 - x + 1 &\geq \epsilon + 2 &\implies \\ \\ 2x^2 + 1 &\geq \epsilon + 2 &\implies \\ \\ 2x^2 &\geq \epsilon + 1 &\implies \\ \\ x &\geq \sqrt{\frac{\epsilon + 1}{2}} \end{align}

Since $\epsilon + 3 > \sqrt{\frac{\epsilon + 1}{2}}$ when $\epsilon > 0$—if we choose $\delta = \epsilon + 3$, then $|f(x) = 2| \leq \epsilon$.

Does this look correct?

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There are 2 best solutions below

1
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$$\frac{2x^2-x+1}{x^2+4}-2\leq \epsilon\Rightarrow \frac{-2x^2+x-1}{x^2+4}\geq \epsilon+2$$ is definitely wrong.

You may not think of an inequality but how to modify or estimate the RHS such that you see that it has to be less than $\epsilon$, using the free choice of $\delta$.

You should try it this way: \begin{align} \left|\frac{2x^2-x+1}{x^2+4}-2\right|&=\left|\frac{2x^2-x+1}{x^2+4}-\frac{2(x^2+4)}{x^2+4}\right|=\ldots\\ &=\frac{x+7}{x^2+4}\leq\ldots\leq \frac1{2x}+\frac7{2x^2}\\ &\leq \frac1{2\delta}+\frac{7}{2\delta^2}. \end{align} Now you can choose $\delta$ such that it is less than $\epsilon$.

0
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It may be better to simplify first

$$\left|\frac{2x^2-x+1}{x^2+4}-2\right|=\frac{x+7}{x^2+4}<\frac{x+7}{x^2}<\frac{2x}{x^2}=\frac2x$$ whenever $x>7$ (required for the last inequality). A suitable $\delta$ easily follows.

Alternatively, you can make both $\dfrac x{x^2}$ and $\dfrac 7{x^2}$ smaller than $\dfrac\epsilon2$.